Skipping Church to BE the Church

Confession: I skipped church yesterday.

Which hurts because I had a streak going. This kills my fantasy church stats.

Normally, if I play hooky from church, I meet up online somewhere. But not yesterday.

Missing being there in person or online would have driven me crazy a few years ago. My salvation would have been in question. My sanctification would have started wearing off. All of my favor would have gone to a TBN viewer.

But, I had something more important to do.

My daughter was sick and needed someone to care for her.

My daughter had me up off and on throughout the night. Normally, my wife would have split the load with me (or done all of it), but she was volunteering in the tech booth at church.

I skipped church, because we were dog tired and the childcare volunteers at church shouldn't have to deal with all that coughing, snot, and wrath of God. My daughter felt horrible and just wanted to be held, so I didn't get to catch an online service either.

While I didn't get to hear a sermon, I did get to read Psalm 133, 106 and 107 (in that order) sandwiched in between an episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Doc McStuffins. Which was kind of ironic because Psalm 133:1 says Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! I thought about taking her to church and dumping her off at childcare, so I could dwell in unity with the brothers. But then she coughed and I thought better of it.

While I didn't worship the Creator lead by a deep v-necked dressed worship pastor with a faux hawk, I did get to cuddle and care for something precious that He created. Which is just as much worship as singing four Tomlin songs in a row.

Why am I bragging on myself? Is it because I get major traffic when I write daddy posts? Maybe. But really it is because I was reminded that relationship is the reason for church, not rule.

Jesus never meant for church to be something that we attend as a rule. He cares nothing for impressive streaks. Or us being at church just to be there.

Too often we go to church without BEING the church.

But why does the church exist? The church exists for relationships. For our relationship with the Trinity, with one another, and to bring others to be in relationship with Christ. That's why a building is not the church, but rather the people are.

So perhaps we all need to skip church from time to time to be the church.

What do you think?